Race clearing shuttle device for sewing machines



April 6, 1965 G. A. LOVE 7 RACE CLEARING SHUTTLE DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 21, 1963 Fig.

Gene Lave INVENTOR. BY %m United States Patent 3,176,642 RACE CLEARING SHUTTLE DEVICE FUR SEWENG MACi-WES Gene A. Love, 2067 S. Main St, .l'oneshoro, Ark. Filed Feb. 1, H63, Ser. No. 260,203 6 Claims. (Q1. 112232) This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines and more particularly to an improvement in the oscillating shuttle mechanism of lock-stitch sewing machines of the type fitted with a central bobbin.

The shuttle housing or race body of a shuttle type of sewing machine usually includes an open sided internal circular raceway with a back portion provided with a recess through whi h lubricant may be inserted for lubricating the raceway, this raceway rotatabiy supporting a shuttle member oscillated in timed relation to a reciprocating needl and movement of fabric feeding elements to form stitches by thread withdrawn from the central bobbin received within the shuttle member. The shuttle member is adapted to be driven by a shuttle driver provided with a resilient impact liner or spring. Sewing machines of the foregoing type have heretofore required frequent cleaning and repair to either correct defective operation or jamming. Operation of the sewing machine was also noisy because of the shuttle mechanism and unbalance often developed after extensive use.

it is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved type of shuttle mechanism whereby jam-proof and noiseless operation of the sewing machine is achieved with less wear on the relatively moving parts thereof and without drag.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of shuttle mechanism for sewing machines of the aforementioned type which requires no lubrication, and disassembiy for cleaning and repair purposes.

The aforementioned problems, eliminated by the improved shuttle mechanism of the pre ent invention, heretofore resulted from the accumulation of lint or thread trapped or embedded in the internal raceway of the shuttle housing or race body. This lint, thread or debris would accumulate after extensive use of the machine so as to impede or slow down shuttle movement, cause jamming and produce unbalance or misalign the relatively rotatable parts of the shuttle' mechanism. Uneven and able modification of the shuttle mechanism in accordance with the present invention renders the associated sewing machine, jamproof, noiseless, more smoothly operative for a longer period of time and also reduces maintenance and repair costs.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and -o eration as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a sewing machine showing a portion of the shuttle mechanism with the shuttle member removed.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane indicated by section line 22 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3-3 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective View of disassem- 7 bled portions of the shuttle mechanism to which the present invention applies.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through .a plane indicated by section line 55 in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed from FIGURE 1, that a shuttle mechanism generally referred to by reference numeral 16 is installed Within a sewing machine of the type aforementioned, the sewing machine frame including a bedplate 12 from which a journal support portion 14 depends downwardly and from which a pair of mounting lugs 16 depend as shown in FIGURE 2. The bedplate 12 is provided with the usual throat plate 18 having an aperture 20 through which a reciprocating needle 22 is projected in timed relation to movement of a feeding wheel 24 which is adapted to cooperate with a pressure roller as for feeding fabric across the aperture 2t in order to stitch the fabric. The foregoing structure and arrangement of parts is conventional and cooperates with the shuttle mechanism also driven in timed relation thereto by means of which thread is Withdrawn from a bobbin (not shown). The shuttle mechanism is ofthe oscillatory type having a shuttle member (not shown in FIGURES 1 and 2) which is oscillated within a shuttle housing generally referred to by reference numeral 23, said shuttle housing being secured to the mounting lugs 16 by pins 39. Oscii'iatory movement is imparted to the shuttle member by means of the shuttle driver generally referred to by reference numeral 32 which is operatively positioned in relation to the shuttle member for such purpose as shown for example in Patent Nos. 1,845,788 and 2,966,- 870, the shuttle driver and its relationship to the shuttle member forming no part of the present invention. The shuttle member 34 as shown by dotted lines in FIG- URE 5, is therefore adapted to be oscillated within the shuttle housing and is supported for movement relative thereto by means of the internal circular raceway surface 36 in the shuttle housing formed between the open axial end 38 of the housing and the back portion 40 thereof as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5.

The shuttle driver 32 is connected to one end of the shuttle drive shaft 42 by means of which it is rotatably supported about a fixed axis in coaxial relation to the stationary housing 28. Accordingly, the arcuate body portion 44 of the shuttle driver is disposed in radially spaced relation to the bearing race surface 36 of the shuttle housing and is provided with a resilient impact leaf spring 46 through which movement is imparted to the shuttle :membeer in response to oscillation of the shuttle driver. Any accumulation of debris on the surface 36 engaged by the rigid end of body portion 44 would obviously become packed and this situation has heretofore caused wear and misalignment. A pair of spaced screw fasteners 43 secure the resilient spring element 46 to the shuttle driver portion 44 in a manner similar to the prior art, but the fasteners 43 in accordance with the present invention, are provided with projection pins 56 that extend radially from the shuttle driver and are received within a circular groove 52 formed between the bearing race surface 35 and the back portion 4% of the shuttle housing. The projection pins 5% are disposed within the circular groove 52 but are not in contact with the surfaces of the shuttle housing so as to avoid frictional drag. Thus, the pins 59 are operative to sweep through the groove 52 and prevent any accumulation of debris therein. The groove 52 is therefore formed of a depth and width so as to collect and accumulate the debris from the raceway surface 36 which would cause misalignment between the driver and the housing if the debris were not swept from the raceway by the projecting pins extending into the groove as more clearly seen in FIGURE 3.

A notch or recess 54 is formed in the back portion 40 of the shuttle housing to form an axial discharge passage. Heretofore, such notches or recesses were formed so that the internal raceway surface 36 could be lubricated and to permit discharge of lubricant therefrom by movement of the shuttle member over. the bearing surface. The recess 54 in accordance with the present invention is however enlarged and the depth thereof radially extended beyond the'intcrnal raceway surface 36,as shown by dotted lines 56 in FIGURE 5, so that the recess may communicate with the circular groove 52. Accordingly, the depth of the recess 54 extends to the depth of the circular groove 52. It will therefore be'apparent, that as the shuttle driver 32 is oscillated, the projecting pins will sweep any accumulation of the debris collected within the groove 52, and this debris will be discharged from the recess 54. The disposition of the pins 50 within the circular groove 52 will maintain-the coaxial alignment between the shuttle driver and the shuttle housing or race body 28 as aforementioned in order to prevent unbalancefromtdeveloping. It will also be appreciated, that as a result thereof, the knocking sound of the shuttle movement will be eliminated while sticking due to a mixture of lubricant, lint and thread will be avoided by the continuous sweeping of this matter from the raceway.

From the foregoing description, the structure, purpose and operation of the shuttle mechanism improvement will be :apparent. It will also be appreciated, that the -modified form of shuttle driver and shuttle housing may be applicable to sewing machines of various types which utilize a shuttle mechanism and that the dimensions of the projecting pins 50, circular groove 52 and expelling recess 54 .will vary accordingly.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

between said internal raceway and the back portion thereof dimensioned to collect debris from the internal raceway, and said resilient impact element being secured to the shuttle driver by fastener means having spaced projections which radially project into said circular groove without contact of the shuttle housing to sweep debris from the circular groove and thereby prevent accumulation of debris in the shuttle housing.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said back portion of the shuttle housing is formed with an expelling recess having a depth extending radially beyond the internal raceway for communication with said circular groove.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said spaced projections comprise a pair of pins extending from screw elements constituting the fastener means between the resilient impact element and the shuttle driver.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said spaced projections comprise a pair of pins extending from screw elements constituting the fastener means between the re silient impact element and the shuttle driver.

5. In a shuttle mechanism for sewing machines having a fixed member forming an internal race surface and a shuttle driver rotatably mounted in radially spaced relation to said race surface, projection means extending radially from the shuttle driver, said fixed member having a groove axially spaced from the race surface for collecting debris and receiving said projection means in out-ofcontact relation to the fixed member, and expelling passage means operatively extending axially from said race surface in communication with said groove for discharge of debris swept from the groove by the projection means in response to oscillation of the shuttle driver.

6. A sewing machine shuttle mechanism including a shuttle, a shuttle race having a race surface radially aligned with said shuttle for wiping engagement therewith, and a shuttle driver for oscillating the shuttle about an axis coaxial with said shuttle race, race clearing means comprising, a projection rigidly secured to said shuttle for movement therewith in a plane axially spaced from said race surface and projecting radially therebeyond, debris collecting means fixedly mounted in axially spaced relation to the race surface for receivingdebris therefrom, said debris collecting means including a groove into which the projection extends in out-of-contact relation thereto for sweeping debris in response to said movement in the plane axially spaced from the race surface and dischrage passage means communicating with said race surface including a recess having a depth extending radially beyond the race surface for communication with said groove. 1

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 759,298 5/04 Mundlos 112196 2,842,081 7/58 Kurihara 112-192 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SHUTTLE MECHANISM FOR A SEWING MACHINE INCLUDING A STATIONARY SHUTTLE HOUSING HAVING AN INTERNAL CIRCULAR RACEWAY DEFINED BETWEEN A BACK PORTION AND AN OPEN AXIAL END OF THE HOUSING AND A SHUTTLE DRIVER COAXIALLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID SHUTTLE HOUSING IN RADIALLY SPACED RELATION TO THE INTERNAL CIRCULAR RACEWAY AND A RESILIENT IMPACT ELEMENT FIXED TO THE SHUTTLE DRIVER THROUGH WHICH OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT THEREOF IS ADAPTED TO BE IMPARTED TO A SHUTTLE MEMBER JOURNALED IN SAID RACEWAY, SAID SHUTTLE HOUSING BEING FORMED WITH A CIRCULAR GROOVE BETWEEN SAID INTERNAL RACEWAY AND THE BACK PORTION THEREOF DIMENSIONED TO COLLECT DEBRIS FROM THE INTERNAL RACEWAY, AND SAID RESILIENT IMPACT ELEMENT BEING SECURED TO THE SHUTTLE DRIVER BY FASTENER MEANS HAVING SPACED PROJECTIONS WHICH RADIALLY PROJECT INTO SAID CIRCULAR GROOVE WITHOUT CONTACT OF THE SHUTTLE HOUSING TO SWEEP DEBRIS FROM THE CIRCULAR GROOVE AND THEREBY PREVENT ACCUMULATION OF DEBRIS IN THE SHUTTLE HOUSING. 